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Ode to JayLoud

Joshua Davis would be 20 years old today. He would of had the City of Chicago talking about one of his new songs. He would likely be signed to a record label and granted a chance to move his sweet, soft-spoken mother Mrs. Brown out of the heart of Chicago’s most dangerous neighborhood Englewood.

Joshua Davis known as JayLoud to those that knew him never got that chance as he was robbed of his life on Christmas night 2012 at the age of 18 for allegedly representing a dead homie on his gear. Just that alone I could never come to grips with. He was shot to death, leaving behind nieces and nephews , a brother that loved him dearly, an older sister that just wanted him to do good in whatever he put his effort in. I knew Joshua Davis personally.

I first met him when he was just 12 years old. His sister was my best friend’s girlfriend, and I used to hang out around this young man all the time. He was a good kid that just wanted to rap and make it out of the ‘hood. Whenever we crossed paths I never saw Jay loud with that arrogant attitude he displays on his raps songs. His persona was JayLoud. To the rest of us he was just plain Josh. To me he was a cool, funny, swagged out kid that just wanted to make it, that just wanted his piece of the pie–a kid that realized he had talent when it came to rap and decided to capitalize on opportunity to be successful. And it was all taken away by a coward with a gun. Forget he was wearing a Lil JoJo world hoodie supporting the late Joseph Coleman who was killed just four months earlier. Nobody on God’s green earth has the right to take away another human’s life.

Joshua Davis rapped about his life, the violence of Chicago, and his favorite subject cold hard cash. My favorite line of JayLoud’s is where he lets you know ” I can’t do know fronts. I need my money.” This is one of the truest line you will ever hear coming out of capitalist America and he industrial world. He rapped about the streets he knew, his reality. He was the ultimate storyteller who pulled you in and kept you there.

Joshua Davis is in heaven now along with a lot of young Black men whose lives were cut short because of ignorance and internalized hatred. He was just 18 years young. His whole life was just ahead. He wanted to be something. He wanted to change the world around him, as soon as he changed himself.

Josh is in heaven right now and he’s watching over his friends and family. His death made me change my life for the better. In fact he inspired me. So if I’m ever fortunate to make it out of the slums of Chicago, Joshua Davis would be the driving factor behind it all. Why? Because he had a dream and was pursuing it. He put the work in and sadly he can never reap the rewards of hard work and dedication.

This is for you Josh. I will always spread your story and hopefully I can inspire somebody one day the way you did for me.